Chapter 9 - Shadows on the Interstate
The sun dipped low behind the jagged mountain peaks, casting long, bruised shadows across the asphalt as Jax pushed his chopper faster down Route 49. The engine hummed a steady, aggressive rhythm beneath them, cutting through the crisp evening air. Behind him, the boy held on tightly, his small arms wrapped securely around Jax’s waist, safely cocooned inside the heavy leather riding jacket. Every few miles, Jax checked his rearview mirror, keeping a watchful eye on the set of twin headlights that had been glued to their bumper ever since they left the diner limits.
It wasn't Big Jim or any of the club members—Jim understood the code of blood and would never trail a brother like a bounty hunter. No, these headlights belonged to a sleek, unmarked sedan, running without club colors or local plates. A cold knot formed in Jax's stomach. Sarah had been hiding from someone or something for eight years, living off the grid in a small mountain town, and by bringing the boy out into the open, Jax might have just painted a target on both of their backs.
""Jax... I'm cold,"" the boy's muffled voice drifted up through the rushing wind. Jax immediately eased off the throttle slightly, shifting gears to protect the child from the biting draft of the mountain pass. ""Hang on just a little longer, kid. We're almost to the turnoff,"" Jax shouted back over the roar of the pipes, his heart pounding against his ribs.
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The sedan behind them suddenly surged forward, accelerating aggressively along the empty stretch of two-lane highway, attempting to close the gap before they reached the winding wooded trails ahead. Jax cursed under his breath, downshifting hard as he veered sharply onto an unpaved logging road, kicking up a storm of dust and gravel that temporarily blinded their pursuer.
As the bike bounced violently over the rough terrain, cutting deep into the dark pine forest, Jax realized they were no longer just chasing a ghost from his past—they were running for their lives.
